Difference in barrel rifling?
- Thread starter Excalibur
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Ed
Polygonal rifling is a relatively new type of rifling wherein the traditional lands and grooves are replaced instead by "hills and valleys" in a polygonal pattern, usually a hexagon. This has many advantages over the traditional form of rifling, in that it deforms the bullet less while also sealing the gas slightly better, resulting in a slightly higher muzzle velocity in most cases. Because the bullet is less deformed, it provides less surface area for the wind to push against and thus it is more accurate at long range. Also, as a result of the fewer sharp edges pushing against the bullet, the barrel life is extended compared to that of a traditionally rifled barrel.
This type of rifling, however, has drawn criticism from various law enforcement agencies because, unlike the deformations traditional rifling leave on a bullet, deformations left on a bullet by polygonal rifling cannot be used to identify which gun fired the round. As a result, many of these agencies forbid the use of polygonal rifling so that shots fired by the officers may be identified as such.
Another disadvantage to polygonal rifling is that firing lead bullets through the barrel results in an accumulation of lead — a phenomenon known as "leading", that can lead to poor accuracy or even barrel failure.
The most notable manufacturer to create barrels with polygonal rifling is GLOCK, though there are others that manufacture them as well, such as Kahr arms and Heckler and Koch.
Also...Google is your friend.
Ed
Polygonal rifling is a relatively new type of rifling wherein the traditional lands and grooves are replaced instead by "hills and valleys" in a polygonal pattern, usually a hexagon. This has many advantages over the traditional form of rifling, in that it deforms the bullet less while also sealing the gas slightly better, resulting in a slightly higher muzzle velocity in most cases. Because the bullet is less deformed, it provides less surface area for the wind to push against and thus it is more accurate at long range. Also, as a result of the fewer sharp edges pushing against the bullet, the barrel life is extended compared to that of a traditionally rifled barrel.
This type of rifling, however, has drawn criticism from various law enforcement agencies because, unlike the deformations traditional rifling leave on a bullet, deformations left on a bullet by polygonal rifling cannot be used to identify which gun fired the round. As a result, many of these agencies forbid the use of polygonal rifling so that shots fired by the officers may be identified as such.
Another disadvantage to polygonal rifling is that firing lead bullets through the barrel results in an accumulation of lead — a phenomenon known as "leading", that can lead to poor accuracy or even barrel failure.
The most notable manufacturer to create barrels with polygonal rifling is GLOCK, though there are others that manufacture them as well, such as Kahr arms and Heckler and Koch.
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